Connecting means for screened cables



Aug' 1, 1933- G. FossATl Y coNNcTING MEANS FOR SCREENED CABLES FiledFeb. 25, 1931 Patented Aug. 1, 1.933

, plszosss l coNNEcTmG MEANS Foa scaEENED CABLES Giuseppe Fossati,Monza, Italy, assignor to Fabbrica Italiana Magneti Marelli SocietaAnonima., Milan, Italy Application February 25.,

1931, Serial No; 518,188,

and in Italy March 1, 1930 4 Claims.

The present invention has for its object means for connecting thegrounding screen of screened cables feeding electric current to ignitionsparking plugs of internal combustion engines, with the screen of thecurrent distributor of a cooperating ignition device such as a magnetoor a spark-generator; said means providing a satisfactory electriccontact of the cable and distributor screens with each other Withoutaiiecting 0 the freedom of said cable to move and adapt itselfwithrespect to said distributor.

On the annexed drawing is shown by way of example an embodiment of thepresent invention in connection with a magneto having a screeneddistributor cover or hood, and

Figure 1 is a central section on enlarged scale of the cable connectingend having a connecting member according to this invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section of the screened cover of a magnetodistributor having a cable provided with the connecting member of thisinvention engaged therein.

The connecting member comprises a conducting and longitudinallyresilient and collapsible sleeve which is located on the end portion of4the cable, this end portion having previously been deprived of itsscreening sheath; said sleeve has one end engaged with the cablescreening sheath and its opposite end carries an annular head adapted tomove along said cable end portion and to contact with the screen of themagneto or of the distributor cover of the same.

The cable end is fastened in the distributor after said sleeve has beencollapsed and' while it `is held colapsed, and thus a permanent andsatisfactory electric contact is secured between the magneto screen andthe head of said sleeve, the cable screening sheath being therebyefliciently grounded.

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention the cable comprises afeeding conductor 1 and an insulating cover 2 having thereon a screeningsheath 3 consisting of wire braid or, the like. The screening sheath 3is removed from the end portion of the cable and a conducting sleeve 4is located thereon, said sleeve consisting in the illustrated embodimentof a section of a flexible metal tube which is collapsible or has aproper resiliency in the direction of its axis. Said sleeve 4 has oneend fastened on a collar 6, say by soldering it thereon, and said collar6 is fastened on sheath 3 by crimpling it thereon by Y means of pliersas shown at '7 in Figure 2, a soft 55 packing, as a rubber ring 8, beingpreferably located intermediate sheath 3 and cover 2 for seal-` ingpurposes.

An annular ball head 9 is Welded or fastened in any suitable manner onthe opposite or free end of said sleeve 4 said annular head being thusfree to move along the insulating cover 2.

For interconnection with the magneto, the end portion of the cable iscut to leave a portion 2 thereof extending beyond the position the head9 has on said cable when said sleeve 4 has its normal elongatedconfiguration, said extending portion being shorter than the depth ofthe seat or recess loof the magneto cover it is intended to enter; thensaid bare end, portion of the cable is inserted and forced home or fullyinto the seat 10 of the magneto distributor cover 5 and is fastenedthereon by means of a screw 11 which enters said cable to provideelectric connection of vsegmental contact l2 with the cable conductor 1and at the same time mechanically engages 75 said cable in the coverseat 10.

In this operation, assuming the sectio'n 2 to have a suitable length asabove defined, when the cable end is engaged in seat 10, the-conductingsleeve 4 is compressed and collapsed intermediate the point 7 Where itis anchored on the cable screening sheath and the s eat 13 provided inthe magneto distributor cover 5 for head 9 and lined by metal screen 14located on the cover 5, said head 9 being thus resiliently held in en-85 gagement with said seat 13.

Thus by a singleoperation both the connections of the cable conductor lwith the cooperating segment l2 of the distributor, and the connectionof the cable screening sheath 3 with the 90 magneto screen 14 aresecured, the last named connection being provided by the collapsedsleeve 4; on the other hand the cable may adjust itself angularly aroundits seat in the magneto, because saidhead 9 is ball-shaped and may move95 along the cable.

Of course, the resilient collapsible and conducting member 4 may be ofany suitable nature instead of being a corrugated collar or tube asillustrated and it may consist of a spring or generally speaking of aconducting member adapted to resiliently collapse in the direction ofits own axis, and its engagement on the cable screening sheath may besecured by any suitable means, say by a collar or a split-ring fasteneror the like.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by United StatesLetters Patent isz- 1. Means for connecting a cable having a.

Vscreening sheath thereon, with a screened mem- V Vber in ignition meansfor internal combustion engines, said connecting means comprising aresilient conducting member enclosing the cable and encircling the endportion of said cable and having one end fastened on said cable sheathat a point spaced from the cable end. and its other end loose on saidcable for engagement with said screened member and an annular ball headon the last named end of said resilient member.

2 eans for connecting a cable having a scree ing sheath thereon, with ascreened member in ignition means for internal combustion engines', saidconnecting means comprising a ilexible and collapsible metal tubeenclosing the cable and encircling the end portion of said ca.- ble andhaving one end fastened on said cable sheath at a point spaced from thecable end and screened member.

' 4. Means for connecting a cable having a screening sheath thereon witha screened member in ignition means for internal combustion engines,said connecting means comprising a resiliently collapsible conductingmember enclosing said cable and comprising a collar engaging said cablescreening sheath at the inner end of said resiliently collapsibleconducting member and an annular contact member upon the opposite end ofsaid resiliently collapsible conducting member, said resilientlycollapsible conducting member forcing said contact member against saidscreened member to make electrical contact with its screening means whensaid cable ls con- GUSEPPE FOSSATI.

